A camera having a combined viewfinder and slide viewer

ABSTRACT

A device is provided in a camera wherein the eyepiece of the viewfinder can be utilized in a slide viewer for viewing slide transparency units when inserted in the camera. The transparency is positioned off the axis of the viewfinder and a mirror is moved into the field of the eyepiece in response to insertion of a slide to change the device from a viewfinder to a slide viewer. Because it may be convenient to locate the transparency too close to the eyepiece for normal power of a viewfinder eyepiece, an auxiliary lens is moved into the system with movement of the mirror.

United States Patent Inventor Hubert Nerwin Rochester, N.Y.

Appl. No. 700,057

Filed Jan. 24, 1968 Patented Apr. 13, 1971 Assignee Eastman KodakCompany Rochester, N.Y.

CAMERA HAVING A COMBINED VIEWFINDER AND SLIDE VIEWER 95/12, 13 (Cursory)[56] References Cited UNTT ED STATES PATENTS 1,140,108 5/1915 Brown88/1.5 3,446,131 5/1969 Cook et a1. 95/13 Primary ExaminerRonald L.Wibert Assistant Examiner-Orville B. Chew, 11 Attorneys-Robert W,Hampton and Gary D. Fields ABSTRACT: A device is provided in a camerawherein the eyepiece of the viewfinder can be utilized in a slide viewerfor viewing slide transparency units when inserted in the camera. Thetransparency is positioned off the axis of the viewfinder and a mirroris moved into the field of the eyepiece in response to insertion of aslide to change the device from a viewfinder to a slide viewer. Becauseit may be convenient to locate the transparency too close to theeyepiece for normal power of a viewfinder eyepiece, an auxiliary lens ismoved into the system with movement of the mirror.

Patented April 13,1971 I 3,575,081

HUBERT NERWIN INVENTOR.

CAMERA HAVING A COMBINED VIEWFINDER AND SLIDE VIEWER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to a combinedviewfinder and slide viewer for use in a camera. More particularly, theinvention may be utilized in a camera wherein slide transparency unitsare processed within the camera and then viewed immediately followingthe processing.

2. Description of the Prior Art Various types of viewfinders have beendeveloped for use on cameras. In addition, there are many slide viewersavailable for viewing slide transparencies which are illuminated byeither ambient light or by an artificial light source provided withinthe slide viewer. Such slide viewers have been provided on cameras inwhich the transparencies are both exposed and developed, such as in U.S.Pat. No. 3,225,670, which issued on Dec. 28, 1965 to Friedman et al.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, a combined viewfinderand slide viewer is provided within a camera. The viewfinder is used inthe conventional manner. When it is desired to use the device as a slideviewer, a slide transparency unit is inserted into a suitable slotprovided for this purpose. Insertion of the slide causes a movablemirror mount to be moved so that a mirror will be brought into opticalalignment with the viewfinder so that the transparency unit may beobserved. Upon removal of the transparency unit, the mirror mount willreturn to its initial position so the viewfinder may be utilized fortaking another picture. The mirror mount may also carry a lens which maybe positioned during viewing of a transparency to increase the power ofthe eyepiece. This device has particular utility in a camera in whichslide transparency units may be both exposed and developed. Thus, ameans is provided for viewing developed slide transparency unitsimmediately after removing it from the camera.

Additional novel features of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectionthrough a portion of a camera showing the combined viewfinder and slideviewer of this invention showing the position of the mirror mount whenused as a viewfinder; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section, similar to FIG. 1, but showing theposition of the mirror mount when the device is used as a slide viewer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In accordance with thisinvention, a camera housing C may be provided with a conventionalreverse Galilean viewfinder comprising a negative component or lens andan eyepiece or positive lens 11 for viewing the scene to bephotographed. In addition, the camera is provided with a pivotal mirrormount M mounted on a pivot pin 12 for movement from the position shownin FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 2 and back again. Mirror mount Mis generally L-shaped and includes a leg 13 having a positive lens 14mounted at the end thereof and a mirror 15 extending obliquely fromadjacent pivot pin 12 toward one side of lens 14. The other leg 16 ofmirror mount M is normally held against stop 17 by a spring 18. When itis desired to view a slide, the transparency unit 19 may be insertedthrough a slot 21 into position over an illuminating window 22, whichconveniently may be made of a translucent material. Upon insertion ofthe transparency unit 19 into the camera, the mount will engage leg 16of mirror mount M causing it to be rotated about pivot pin 12 to theposition shown in FIG. 2, so that mirror 15 and lens 14 are brought intothe optical path between lens 10 and eyepiece ll so that the image ofthe transparency unit is formed by light entering window 22 and isviewed with mirror 15 through lenses l4 and 11 by the eye ofthe viewer.Advantageously, a stop 23 may be provided to assure that mirror mount Mdoes not pivot too far and is held in the proper position for viewingthe transparency units. After viewing, the transparency unit may I beremoved from the camera and spring 18 will cause mirror mount M toreturn to the initial position shown in FIG. I so that the viewfindermay be used to view the next subject to be photographed.

For some applications, it might be desirable to make mirror 15 of asemireflective material so that a transparency unit and a scene to bephotographed may be viewed at the same time in superimposedrelationship. This would be helpful in situations where one wants tophotograph sequential scenes in which the background remains essentiallythe same but the foreground changes. Thus, by superimposing the image onthe slide with the scene to be photographed, this could be accomplished.When only the slide viewer is to be used, the operator could place hishand over lens 10 to block unwanted light 'or a separate means could beprovided within the camera to accomplish this.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that the novel features of thisinvention have been fulfilled to a marked degree. A combined viewfinderand slide viewer is provided wherein a movable mirror mount is providedwithin a camera which is pivotal upon insertion of a slide transparencyunit into the camera for viewing so that the image of the transparencyunit is reflected from a mirror on the mirror mount and projected to theeye of the viewer.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toa preferred embodiment thereof, but it will be understood thatvariations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scopeof the invention as described hereinabove and as defined in the appendedclaims.

Iclaim:

I. In a combined viewfinder and slide viewer for a camera having ahousing, the combination comprising:

a first lens supported by said housing;

a second lens supported by said housing spaced from said first lens,said first and second lenses forming a viewfinder having an opticalpath;

a slide transparency illuminating means supported by said housing andspaced from said optical path;

means attached to said housing for supporting a slide transparency unitfor illumination by said illuminating means;

an angularly shaped mirror mount having a pivot point and two legsextending outwardly therefrom;

a mirror mounted on said mirror mount for movement from a first positionout of said optical path to a second position in said optical path sothat light projected by said illuminating means is reflected by saidmirror through said first lens for viewing said slide transparencyunits;

a third lens mounted at an end of one leg of said mirror mount, saidmirror being supported by said mount and extending obliquely fromadjacent said pivot point toward said third lens so that light reflectedby said mirror, when said mirror is in said second position, passesthrough said third and first lenses, the other of said two legs beingadapted to be engaged by a transparency unit upon insertion thereof insaid support means to move said mount from said first position to saidsecond position; and

a spring having one end connected to said housing and having another endconnected to said mirror mount, biasing said mirror mount toward saidfirst position so that upon removal of said transparency unit from saidsupporting means said mirror mount returns to said first position.

2. In a combined viewfinder and slide viewer, provided in a camerahaving a housing which includes a first and second spaced sidesinterconnected by a third side, the combination comprising:

a first lens supported by said first sidewall;

a second lens supported by said second sidewall, said first and secondlenses forming a viewfinder having an optical path;

an illuminating window in said third wall through which ambient lightcan be projected through a transparency unit;

means defining a slot in said housing through which a transparency unitcan be inserted into said housing in alignment with said illuminatingwindow;

a pivot pin attached to said housing;

an angular mirror mount pivotally mounted within said housing about saidpivot pin for movement between a first position and a second positionand having two legs extending from said pivot pin;

a mirror mounted on said mirror mount extending from adjacent said pivotpin toward an end of one leg of said mirror mount;

a third lens mounted at said end of said one leg the other leg of saidmirror mount being adapted to be engaged by a slide transparency uponinsertion thereof through said slot defining means to pivot said mirrormount from said first position to said second position wherein saidmirror and said third lens are positioned in said optical path to directlight projected through said illuminating window through said third lensand said first lens so that a slide transparency unit in said housing isviewable; and

resilient means interconnecting said housing and said mirror mountbiasing said mirror mount toward said first position so that uponremoval of said transparency unit from said housing said mirror mountreturns to said first position.

3. in a camera, a viewfinder comprising:

an eyepiece;

means for forming an image of an infinite scene at a first position,which first position is a first optical distance from said eyepiece andsaid image is a first object selectively viewable through said eyepiece;

means for receiving a slide transparency at a second position, a secondoptical distance from said eyepiece, which transparency is a secondobject selectively viewable through said eyepiece, wherein said firstand second distances are such that one of said objects would be in focusif viewed through said eyepiece alone and the other of said objectswould be out of focus if viewed through said eyepiece alone;

means for selecting between viewing said first object and viewing saidsecond object; and

means responsive to selecting said out of focus object for viewing forbringing said object into focus.

4. The viewfinder according to claim 3 wherein said focusing means is anauxiliary lens positionable between said eyepiece and said secondposition in response to insertion of a slide transparency in said secondposition.

5. The viewfinder according to claim 3 wherein said image forming meansand said eyepiece have an optical axis, said second position is spacedfrom said optical axis and said selecting means includes reflectingmeans positionable on said optical axis in response to insertion of aslide transparency at said second position to render said slidetransparency viewable through said eyepiece.

6. [n a camera a viewfinder comprising:

an eyepiece;

means for forming an image of an infinite scene at a first position inthe field of view of said eyepiece; means for receiving a slidetransparency at a position normally out of the field of view of saideyepiece;

reflecting means positionable in the field of view of said eyepiece torender said slide transparency viewable through said eyepiece at aposition at which said transparency would be normally out of focus whenviewed through said eyepiece;

a movable mounted auxiliary lens; and

means responsive to insertion of a slide transparency in said receivingmeans for positioning said auxiliary lens between said eyepiece and saidsecond position to render said transparency in focus when viewed throughsaid eyepiece.

7. In a camera a viewfinder comprising: i

an eyepiece;

means for forming an image of an infinite scene at a first position inthe field of view of said eyepiece; means for receiving a slidetransparency at a position normally out of the field of view of saideyepiece;

reflecting means positionable in the field of view of said eyepiece torender said slide transparency viewable through said eyepiece at aposition at which said transparency would be normally out of focus whenviewed through said eyepiece;

a movable mounted auxiliary lens; and

means for positioning said auxiliary lens between said eyepiece and saidsecond position to render said transparency in focus when viewed throughsaid eyepiece.

8. In a camera a viewfinder comprising:

an eyepiece;

means for forming an image of an infinite scene at a first position inthe field of view of said eyepiece;

means for receiving a slide transparency at a position normally out ofthe field of view of said eyepiece; reflecting means movable to aposition in the field of view of said eyepiece such that it directslight from said transparency into said eyepiece to render said slidetransparency viewable through said eyepiece; and means for moving saidreflecting means to said position in response to receipt of a slidetransparency in said receiving means.

1. In a combined viewfinder and slide viewer for a camera having ahousing, the combination comprising: a first lens supported by saidhousing; a second lens supported by said housing spaced from said firstlens, said first and second lenses forming a viewfinder having anoptical path; a slide transparency illuminating means supported by saidhousing and spaced from said optical path; means attached to saidhousing for supporting a slide transparency unit for illumination bysaid illuminating means; an angularly shaped mirror mount having a pivotpoint and two legs extending outwardly therefrom; a mirror mounted onsaid mirror mount for movement from a first position out of said opticalpath to a second position in said optical path so that light projectedby said illuminating means is reflected by said mirror through saidfirst lens for viewing said slide transparency units; a third lensmounted at an end of one leg of said mirror mount, said mirror beingsupported by said mount and extending obliquely from adjacent said pivotpoint toward said third lens so that light reflected by said mirror,when said mirror is in said second position, passes through Said thirdand first lenses, the other of said two legs being adapted to be engagedby a transparency unit upon insertion thereof in said support means tomove said mount from said first position to said second position; and aspring having one end connected to said housing and having another endconnected to said mirror mount, biasing said mirror mount toward saidfirst position so that upon removal of said transparency unit from saidsupporting means said mirror mount returns to said first position.
 2. Ina combined viewfinder and slide viewer, provided in a camera having ahousing which includes a first and second spaced sides interconnected bya third side, the combination comprising: a first lens supported by saidfirst sidewall; a second lens supported by said second sidewall, saidfirst and second lenses forming a viewfinder having an optical path; anilluminating window in said third wall through which ambient light canbe projected through a transparency unit; means defining a slot in saidhousing through which a transparency unit can be inserted into saidhousing in alignment with said illuminating window; a pivot pin attachedto said housing; an angular mirror mount pivotally mounted within saidhousing about said pivot pin for movement between a first position and asecond position and having two legs extending from said pivot pin; amirror mounted on said mirror mount extending from adjacent said pivotpin toward an end of one leg of said mirror mount; a third lens mountedat said end of said one leg the other leg of said mirror mount beingadapted to be engaged by a slide transparency upon insertion thereofthrough said slot defining means to pivot said mirror mount from saidfirst position to said second position wherein said mirror and saidthird lens are positioned in said optical path to direct light projectedthrough said illuminating window through said third lens and said firstlens so that a slide transparency unit in said housing is viewable; andresilient means interconnecting said housing and said mirror mountbiasing said mirror mount toward said first position so that uponremoval of said transparency unit from said housing said mirror mountreturns to said first position.
 3. In a camera, a viewfinder comprising:an eyepiece; means for forming an image of an infinite scene at a firstposition, which first position is a first optical distance from saideyepiece and said image is a first object selectively viewable throughsaid eyepiece; means for receiving a slide transparency at a secondposition, a second optical distance from said eyepiece, whichtransparency is a second object selectively viewable through saideyepiece, wherein said first and second distances are such that one ofsaid objects would be in focus if viewed through said eyepiece alone andthe other of said objects would be out of focus if viewed through saideyepiece alone; means for selecting between viewing said first objectand viewing said second object; and means responsive to selecting saidout of focus object for viewing for bringing said object into focus. 4.The viewfinder according to claim 3 wherein said focusing means is anauxiliary lens positionable between said eyepiece and said secondposition in response to insertion of a slide transparency in said secondposition.
 5. The viewfinder according to claim 3 wherein said imageforming means and said eyepiece have an optical axis, said secondposition is spaced from said optical axis and said selecting meansincludes reflecting means positionable on said optical axis in responseto insertion of a slide transparency at said second position to rendersaid slide transparency viewable through said eyepiece.
 6. In a camera aviewfinder comprising: an eyepiece; means for forming an image of aninfinite scene at a first position in the field of view of saideyepiece; means for receiving a slide transparency At a positionnormally out of the field of view of said eyepiece; reflecting meanspositionable in the field of view of said eyepiece to render said slidetransparency viewable through said eyepiece at a position at which saidtransparency would be normally out of focus when viewed through saideyepiece; a movable mounted auxiliary lens; and means responsive toinsertion of a slide transparency in said receiving means forpositioning said auxiliary lens between said eyepiece and said secondposition to render said transparency in focus when viewed through saideyepiece.
 7. In a camera a viewfinder comprising: an eyepiece; means forforming an image of an infinite scene at a first position in the fieldof view of said eyepiece; means for receiving a slide transparency at aposition normally out of the field of view of said eyepiece; reflectingmeans positionable in the field of view of said eyepiece to render saidslide transparency viewable through said eyepiece at a position at whichsaid transparency would be normally out of focus when viewed throughsaid eyepiece; a movable mounted auxiliary lens; and means forpositioning said auxiliary lens between said eyepiece and said secondposition to render said transparency in focus when viewed through saideyepiece.
 8. In a camera a viewfinder comprising: an eyepiece; means forforming an image of an infinite scene at a first position in the fieldof view of said eyepiece; means for receiving a slide transparency at aposition normally out of the field of view of said eyepiece; reflectingmeans movable to a position in the field of view of said eyepiece suchthat it directs light from said transparency into said eyepiece torender said slide transparency viewable through said eyepiece; and meansfor moving said reflecting means to said position in response to receiptof a slide transparency in said receiving means.